Door-closing mechanism for dry-cleaning washing machines



DOOR CLOSING MECHANISM FOR DRY CLEANING WASHING MACHINES s T R u c 0 H Filed May 51, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l/VVENTOR Mum (1 W fime uA/rv /ZTTORNE Y8 BY (J,

May 21, 1929.. H. c. CURTISS DOOR CLOSING MECHANISM FOR DRY CLEANING WASHING MACHINES Filed May 51, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I w 17 1f 17 in MAE \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\!fl I- Z Z Z l/VVENTOR 9/ I will!!! Il/ll/III! r Patented May 21, 1 929.

HowAnnc. CURTISS, or NORWOOD, OHIO,

ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DOOR-CLOOING MECHANISM FOR DRY-CLEANING WASHING MACHINES.

Application filed May 31,

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for automatically closing doors of machines in case of fire, such as doors of washing machines used for cleaning garments with gasoline.

One object of this invention is to provide improved safety mechanism of this character which includes a fusible link or other heat responsive device, which, when subjected to a pre-determined amount ofheat, automatically effects the closing of a machine door. i

A further object of the invention is to provide safety mechanism of this character which also effects the closing of a machine damper when the heat responsive member of said mechanism is subjected to a pre-detel-mined amount of hea c Other objects of the invention will appear from the following'description and claims when considered together with the drawings.

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a washing machine embodying my present device; Fig. 2 is a perspective view; ofthe fusible link; ig. 3 is a broken sectional view of the door closing mechanism taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the position of, the door closing mechanism upon melting of the fuse; Fig. 6 is'a sectional view of the flue taken on theline 6 -6, of F i'g." 7; Fig. 7 is a detail sectionalview on the line 77 of Figs. 1 and 6; and Fig. 8' is a detail view similar to Fig. 7 and showing the damper in closed position. a

\ The type of washing machine to which my present invention isfipplied for purposes of illustration is familiar to one skilled in the art and comprises the outer casing 1 in which is rotatably mounted the drum 2, suit able operating mechanism for the drum being indicated at 3. The casing is provided with a door 4: hinged at the point 5 for the purpose of closing an opening in the caslng wall to permit access to the interior thereof. The rests 6 are mounted upon the outside of the casing and serve to support the door 4 in open position as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The bracket 7 is secured to one end of the machine casing and supports the flue 8 which has communication with the 1 interior of the casing for circulation of air.

This flueis adapted to be closed by means of the damper 9 fixed upon the shaft 10 1923. Serial No. 642,505.

which is rotatably mounted in the fi-pe and 1n an upwardly extending arm of the bracket portion 7. Fixed upon the shaft 10 'is the lever arm 11 which has an upwardly extending portion adapted to be engaged by one of the operating parts for automatically closing the damper as will be later explained.

The lever arm has also a downwardly extending portion which has secured thereto tion of the lever arm 11 is adapted to strike the stop portion 13- so as to limit the move-' ment thereof.

The means for automatically closing the machine door and the damper includes a fusible link .14 having overlying metallic plate members 15 provided at their ends with the openings 16. A fusible portion 17, as for instance solder or the like, is inserted in registering openings in the overlying por tions of the plate members 15 so as' to maintain the plate members together under normal conditions. The fusible link is connected at the openings 16 to the clevis members 18 which in turn are connected to the rods 18. The brackets 19' are supported from the wall of the container and serve as a means of guiding the rods 18 in their movesprings 20'are held under tension and during this time the parts occupy the position indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. 1 Each of the rods 18 is provided with a cam member 22 fixed thereupon for cooperative en gagement with the nose on the lower end of the depending stem 23 which extends up through the casing and is adapted to be moved upwardly by action of the cam 22 when released by melting of the fusible link. The upper end of the rod 23 in each case is screwed into the clevis member 24: which has a pin and slot connection 25 with the lever arm 26 which in turn is pivoted at the point 27 upon the base portion of the rest 6. The

other end portion 28 of "the lever 26 overlies and is adapted to engage the free end portion of the lever arm 29 which is fixed in each case upon the shaft 30 which in turn the vertical dead center and permit the same to close by gravity.

'One of the rods 18 extends out through an end wall of the container casing, as illustrated in Fig. 7 and has its end bevelled so as to engage with a cam action the upwardly extending portion of the lever arm 11- so as to rotate the shaft 10 and close the damper 9 against the tension of the spring 12, that is when the rods 18 are released upon melting of the fuse.

'Asibefore stated, when the fuse is intact the parts occupy the position illustrated in Fig- 3 of the drawings and the door 4: may rest in open position as indicated in Fig. 1. In case of fire however, the fusible portion 17 will be melted and the-rods 18 will be released to the action oi? the springs 20 which force them outwardly to cause -engagement :ofthe cams 22 with the lower ends of the stems 23 and thereby effect rotary movement of lever arms 28 and 29 and in this way cause the arms 32 to engage the door for closing the same. 'At the same time one of the rods 18 as it is moved outwardly engages the lever arm 11 and causes the damper 9 to be closed in the manner just described.

In case fire should occur when the door-"4 is closed, the operation of the parts just now described will cause. the damper 9 'to be automatically closed. In either case the fire will be prevented from spreading beyond the confines of the washing machine casing; and. furthermore the fire .will be smothered by automatically closing the container against ingress of air.

What I claim is: I 1. In amachine of the character de scribed, the combination of a casing havingan opening, a door for said opening, and thermally controlled means including a heat responsive member located inside'of said scribed, the combination of a casing having Y casing for automatically closing said door upon subjecting said heat responsive mem ber to a predetermined amount of heat, said door being normally cap-able of being moved to both open and closed position without disturbing saidjthermally controlled means.

2. In a machine of the character dean opening, a door for'said opening, a work receiving container mounted within said casingyand thermally controlled means includlng a heat responsive member located inside of said casing and outside of said container for automatically closing said door upon subjecting said heat responsive member to a predetermined amount of heat.

3. In a machineof the character de scribed, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, and thermally controlled means including a heat responsive member located inside of said casing, and a cam member for automatically closing said door upon subjecting said heat responsive member to a predetermined amount of heat.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, and thermally controlled means including a heat responsive member and a cam member both located inside of said casing for automatically closing said door upon subjecting said heat responsive member to a predetermined amount of heat.

.5. In a machine of the character de scribed, ,the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, and thermally controlled means including a heat responsive member and a spring actuated responsive member for automatically closing said door upon sub ecting sald heat responsive member to a predetermmed amount of heat. v

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, and thermally controlled means including opposed cam members connected by a heat responsive member for automatically closing said door upon subjecting said heat responsive member to a predetermined amount of heat, said cam members and said heat responsive member being located within said casing.

8. In amachine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, means adapted when released to efi'ect the closing of said door and including a spring actuated cam member, and a heat responsive member for controlling the release of said means, whereby said door will be closed upon subjecting said heat responsive member to a predetermined amount of heat.

\ 9. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for'sa'id opening, means adapted when released to effect the closing of said door and including a spring actuated cam member and a heat responsive member'loduit for said casing, a damper for said con duit, and thermally controlled means for automatically closing said door and said dam er upon subjecting said heat responsive meniber to a predetermined amount of heat.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, a conduit for said casing, a damper for said conduit, and thermally controlled means including a heat responsive member located within said casing for automatically closing said door and actuating said damperupon subjectingl said heat responsive member to a predet rmined amount of heat.

12I In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, means adapted when actuated to close said door, a conduit for said casing, a damper forsaid conduit, means adapted when actuated to close said damper, a-single member for actuating said door closing means and said damper closing means, and a member responsive to an abnormal rise in temperature for gontrolling the operation of said single mem- 13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, means adapted when actuated to close said door, a conduit'for said casing, a damper for said conduit, means adapted when actuated to close said damper, a single member for actuating said door closing means and said damper closing means, and a member arranged within said casing and responsive to an abnormal rise in temperature for controlling the operation of said single member.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, means adapted when actuated to close said door, a

conduit for said casing, a damper for said I conduit, means adapted when actuated to close said damper, a single spring actuated member adapted when released to actuate said door closing means and said damper closing means, and a member responsive to an abnormal rise in temperature for releasing said single member.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a door for said opening, means adapted when actuated to close said door, a conduit for said casing, a damper for said conduit, means adapted when actuated to close said damper, a single spring actuated member adapted when released to actuate said door closing means and said damper closing means, and a member arranged in said casing and responsive to an abnormal rise in temperature for releasing said single member.

In testimony whereof I hereby afix my signature.

IIUWARD I], CURIISS. 

